


Conspiracy to commit

by thiefofbluefire



Series: Query: is it illegal to save the world by creating a paradox? [3]
Category: Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types, Rockman | Mega Man Classic
Genre: Crossover, Isolation, Mild Language, Non-Linear Narrative, Suffering, Time Travel, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 08:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17422403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thiefofbluefire/pseuds/thiefofbluefire
Summary: Quint always suspected that he would be unhappy for the rest of his days. He didn't expect anyone to notice.





	Conspiracy to commit

Grey.

An apt way to describe the day as a whole. Grey skies. Grey buildings. People, Bathed in gray.

Quint was feeling pretty gray too.

If that makes any sense.

He watched from his seat on the side of the road as a young lady in grey shoes and a grey skirt with a gray purse scampered to reach a bus, about to depart without her, waving her pass above her head. Quint watched her board the bus with a smile on her face before the grey vehicle disappeared around the corner.

He supposed that his eyes were malfunctioning, resulting in the monochromatic view, however he was in no rush to find anyone to fix them. Not that anyone still around could.

His eyes weren't the only parts of him that were starting to fail, though.

A shudder wracked his system as an unforseen chill slid through his body. Quint felt the urge to sneeze and leaned into his shoulder to catch it.  
One.  
Twice.  
Three sneezes and he gasped after. His respiratory filter had just about had it, and it was physically painful to suck in his next breaths. Maybe he could blame it on the smog, but he hadn't had proper maintenance for some time now. That would also explain the lack of appropriate heat that he was able to generate on his own now, internal heater probably shot.

Quint refused to suggest to himself that he was dying. That made too much sense. Made it probability instead of possibility.  
Meant that his time was almost up.

 

Meant that Mega Man was gone forever.

 

"Are you... Quint, by chance?" A masculine voice rang from above him... Slightly to the left.

"Huh?!" Quint snapped to attention, shifting to his feet.

The sight that greeted him was of a taller man covered from his shoulders to his knees in a dark cape, obstructing any sign of weapons on his person (which, in it of itself, was a sign of weapons). From the neck up, was a human head. Light colored bangs poking out from under a wide brimmed hat, sitting on his head at an odd angle.

"I'll take that as a pretty firm 'maybe'." The stranger guessed. The hat cast deep shadows over his face, and Quints failing optics couldn't make out his company's eyes.

He responded by transforming his arm into a buster, pointing it at the stranger. "What-who wants to know?!"

No one who knew the name Quint could mean well. Must have heard him sneezing. Shoot.

Completely unfazed by the threat of being blasted, the stranger brought a hand out from underneath his cape and whisked it backward. He rested his now visible hand on his hip before cocking his head back.

"Listen here," he began. "I know it's rude to ask two questions and not answer any in between, but I gotta know something."

"Know... What?" Quint asked, suspicious.

The stranger smiled, and his eyes began to glow a soft light under the hat, illuminating a sharp featured face.

"Do you prefer apple, or grape juice?"

Admittedly, that wasn't a question Quint would've ever expected. But he's always been quick on the uptake. Suspecting a trap, he took a step back, ready to make a break for it. Then another.

"Hey wait! Wait!" The stranger stammered, his cool headed facade breaking as he smacked a hand to his forehead. "Aw, shit, that was weird, I'm sorry!"

"Uh." Quint paused in his steps, remaining poised to run. He tilted his head at his odd company's change in demeanor.

"Look, Quint," the stranger continued, taking his hand off his face and making a placating gesture. "I'm not here to cause trouble, I just wanted to get you out of this cold, depressing place, okay?"

"Who are you?" The boy demanded. "Why would you want to do that for me?!"

The hooded bot,(that's it, he's a robot master. He has to be.) hummed in frustration, glancing over his shoulder suspiciously.

" Here's not a good place for me to answer that one." He explained. "Look, I'll answer all your questions and explain everything, but I need you to come with me first."

What was this guy's deal? His objective? What could he want with Quint? Wily wasn't around anymore, none of the remaining robot masters could know that he was still alive. Plus this guy looked too humanoid to be one of Wily's.

 

Unless he was THAT one.

 

In which case, Quint really needed to get out of this place.

Taking another step back, he debated shooting the bot before or after he started running. Maybe he'd see if the guy would give chase.

"Don't really see why I should-"

The stranger interjected before Quint could bait him off. "You're in trouble, aren't you? Respiratory malfunction, low ammo, not walking right?"

 

"Why would you care?!" Why would anyone at this point? This stranger was right, lack of maintenance was doing all these things and more to Quint that he wasn't going to admit out loud. But again; who was he to care?

The hooded bot groaned and rolled his eyes, bringing his second hand out from under his cloak and using it for emphasis.

"Maybe I need a drink and I wouldn't be able to have it in good conscience with the knowledge that you were freezing out here, come on man!" He pleaded, looking a mix between tired, annoyed and distressed.

Which would lend credence to the idea that he meant no harm, if it weren't for the fact that he refused to give Quint his name. Still, old paragon protocols that hadn't been active in months told Quint to hear him out. The parts of him that were still Thomas Lights son told him that he very well could be telling the truth.

 

Does anyone really need to have a reason to help another?

 

Quint blinked and looked between his companys hands. His unarmed palms facing up; a sign of submission.

"... please?" The stranger reiterated, his face open and clearly worried, despite Quints terrible vision.

But his time as Mega Man had taught Quint that such an expression could flip to something sinister and dangerous on a dime. If that was going to happen here, if this robot secretly wanted a fight, then Quint wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of being surprised.

"... no tricks?" Quint asked, lowering his buster arm, but not shifting it back into a hand.

At the gesture, the stranger dropped his hands back to his sides and a look of pure relief crossed his face.

"None whatsoever." He said without malice.


End file.
